67 Pages
by comeonlight
Summary: A collection of short Seven x Sice ficlets/drabbles/whatever you wanna call 'em; each chapter is independent. Mostly (ridiculously corny/cheesy) fluff; maybe some crack in there. Who knows? Perhaps something extremely heart-wrenching will pop up in the future. Cover art by my homegirl Connie. Further updates will be posted to AO3 /works/4103773/navigate).
1. Floral

"Flowers?" "Flowers." Seven handed the bouquet to Sice, who hesitantly accepted it. "Uh…thanks. What's the occasion?" Seven smiled and kissed Sice on the cheek. "I just felt like reminding you that I love you." Sice rolled her eyes, her cheeks turning just a hint of red. "You already do that every day." Seven kissed her nose. "Well today you get flowers too." Sice blushed a little more. "Do you even look to see if anyone's watching before you pull stuff like this?" "Nope," Seven said, giving a toothy grin. Sice sighed, then looked to her left and right, making sure no one was walking down the hall. She then pulled Seven closer to her and kissed her lips. "I love you too. Dumbass."


	2. Lullaby

_**A/N: CORNY. So very corny.**_

Sice had no idea that Seven possessed musical talents. That is, until she wandered into a room in the basement of the school one night. Before, Sice had no idea the basement even existed, but after stumbling upon some stairs leading down, her curiosity got the better of her and she explored empty hallways on several underground floors. The lights were on, though some of them flickered, and most of the rooms were empty, save for some that had musical instruments, chairs, and books stored in them. As Sice descended further, she began to hear a piano and…singing? She walked toward the source of the music and the words that the voice sang became clearer: "…So let your fears melt away, let your heart set the pace, there's no need to be afraid…"

The door to the room with the piano was open, so Sice peeked inside. The person at the piano was sitting with her back to the door, still singing, obviously unaware that she had company. Sice entered the room. "I had no idea you could sing like that." Startled, the piano player abruptly stopped playing and singing. Sice sat down next to her. "You should sing more often, Seven." Seven's face burned a bright red. "How long have you been listening?" she asked, resting her hands on her thighs and trying not to fidget. Sice took one of Seven's hands and brought it back up to the piano keys. "Not long, but long enough. Come on, from the top."

Seven's eyes widened as Sice began to sing: "It's two in the morn and I can't fall asleep. One reason is because you're not here with me." She smiled at Seven, who took a moment to recover from her shock and lift her other hand to the keyboard. Seven began playing again and they sang together: "Don't you know your love is what gets me by? So sing me a lullaby. Sing me a lullaby…" Their voices complemented each other surprisingly well, and they soon found themselves at the last lines of the song: "There's no more fear, because you're here. I'll sing you a lullaby…"

There was a silence after the song during which Seven and Sice merely smiled at each other. "You have a pretty amazing voice yourself," Seven said. Sice shrugged, smirking slightly. "Well, I don't wanna brag…" Seven stood up and offered her hand to Sice. "So I take it you were wandering down here because you couldn't sleep either." Sice took Seven's hand and rose to her feet. "Yeah. But you know, I think I'll have an easier time getting to sleep after this." Seven held on to Sice's hand and began walking toward the door. "That's good. I think the same rings true for me."

The music played in both girls' heads on the way back up to the ground floor, on the way to their rooms, and all through their dreams, which were particularly sweet that night.


	3. Silly Sice, Still Saltwater

"See something you like?" Seven asked, noticing Sice's starry-eyed smile. Sice looked back and forth between all the booths at the carnival, the excitement on her face reminiscent of that of a small child. "Let's try out that deep-fried chocobo first!" Sice said, taking Seven by the hand and speeding toward a red tent.

"Two wings?" the vendor asked. "Yeah," Sice said eagerly. Seven placed some gil on the table. "Keep the change," she said as she and Sice each took a wing. "I was gonna pay for it," Sice said before taking a huge bite as she and Seven walked toward a bench. They sat down. "I told you," Seven said. "This is my treat." Sice moaned in contentment. "Oh, it's a treat alright. This is some of the best meat I've ever had." Seven's wing was a bit smaller, so she finished first. Sice, on the other hand, had an enormous mutated wing and took her time savoring each bite.

When she finally finished licking the bones clean, Sice stood up. "Where next, Seven? Games? Ferris wheel? Oh, that moogle's selling cotton candy! And ice cream! And dumplings!" Seven accompanied Sice to the moogle, amused at the girl's passion for food. "Uh, uh…" Sice said, looking at all the different options. "I want…uh…man, how do I decide?" "We'll take one of everything," Seven said, opening her wallet and smiling at the moogle. "Everything?" the moogle asked. "That'll cost quite a bit of gil, kupo." Seven took a handful of coins from her wallet. "Don't worry. I'm loaded."

"I feel kinda bad," Sice said after the purchase was made. "Like I'm milking your wallet dry." She took a lick of ice cream. "I just said I was loaded," Seven said. "I've been saving up just for this, so don't you worry your pretty little head about money." Sice stuffed a dumpling into her mouth and uttered a muffled "mmkay." Seven chuckled and guided the younger girl toward a gondola. "Shall we take a ride on the lake while you finish your treats?"

The gondolier was silent, but he seemed polite. He helped both girls onto the boat with a smile on his face. "Could you take us straight across?" Seven asked. "Slowly, though. We'd like a long, relaxing ride. If that's okay." The gondolier tipped his hat and began propelling the boat at a slow, even pace. "This is nice," Sice said before taking a bite of her ice cream cone. "Mhm," Seven hummed, resting her head on Sice's shoulder. Sice finished her ice cream and then popped a ball of cotton candy into her mouth. "The stars are coming out," she said softly.

Seven looked up at the darkening sky. "Yeah. They're pretty, aren't they?" Sice tore a chunk from the giant mass of cotton candy in the bag in her hand and held it near Seven's mouth. "Not as pretty as you." Seven blushed, taking the treat into her mouth. "I'm not big on sweets, actually," she said, nuzzling Sice's neck. Sice ran her fingers through Seven's hair. "Well, I guess that makes sense. You're super sweet already."

Suddenly, a seal emerged from the calm waters. "GAAAAAAYYYY," it shouted. Sice turned her head to the camera, her stare eating away at the fourth wall. "Memes, really?"


	4. Dance With Me

"What was that?" Seven asked. Sice held out her hand. "I said, dance with me." Seven reluctantly reached for Sice's hand. "What're you so shy about, Sev?" Seven stood up, awkwardly placing her hands on Sice's shoulders. "I've never done this before," she admitted in a low tone. A giant smirk made its way to Sice's lips. "Even better." She took one of Seven's hands in one of her own, and wrapped the opposite arm around Seven's waist. "I'll teach you everything you need to know. You trust me?" A timid smile appeared on Seven's face. "Of course."  
"Alright, try to follow my lead…"


	5. Warm

"What're you doing?" Sice asked grumpily as Seven brought an arm over her body and pulled her closer. "You're cold," Seven replied calmly. "Can't have a comrade catching frostbite." She unfastened her jacket and brought Sice's hands to her skin. "Warm…" Sice whispered, her tense body relaxing. She slowly leaned her head into Seven's shoulder, her exhaustion heavily outweighing her thoughts of how awkward this might've seemed. Seven smiled to herself as Sice's arm hugged her lightly, sleepy fingers sifting through silver hair. "Goodnight, Sice," Seven whispered, closing her eyes. Sice's fingers soon came to a rest in Seven's mane, and the only sounds remaining were soft breathing and the occasional crackling of the dying bonfire.


	6. Buns

"Ohhh man, I can't wait," Sice said, crouching in front of the oven for the sixth time in the past four minutes. "You're really excited about this, aren't you?" Seven asked, though the answer was obvious. Sice stood up. "Of course I'm excited. I loooove me some buns!" "Right, buns…" Seven's voice trailed off and her gaze fell. Sice took her eyes off of the rising dough for a split second to glance at Seven. "You starin' at my ass?"

Seven's eyes instantly rose to meet Sice's, and her face turned just the slightest shade of red. "Of course not!" she responded quickly. "What you said just got me thinking…" Seven looked down, seeming to go into deep thought. "Thinkin' about what?" Sice asked. "You alright?" Seven shook her head and then lifted it, giving a soft smile to her wife. "I'm fine. It's just that…Um, Sice, let's sit down."

Sice gave Seven a questioning look, but complied with her request. "Alright, you're acting weird," she said, plopping down in a chair. "Spit it out already, yeah?" Seven reached for one of Sice's hands and grasped it softly. "Let's just say that those aren't the only buns in the oven." She tilted her head toward the baking bread. Sice's eyes widened to a size Seven had never seen before; it was actually quite comical. "Hey, Sice?" Seven asked after a minute of silence, miraculously managing not to burst out laughing at her wife's facial expression. Sice opened her mouth slightly, the corners forming a small smile. She spoke two words in an almost inaudible tone:

"Holy shit."

 ** _A/N:_** _I wrote this solely for the "You starin' at my ass?" line. And because I'm 67 trash, woohoo. And maybe also because it's Mother's Day. However Seven became preggers is totally up to your imagination~_


	7. Relaxation

"You sure were out late," Seven commented as Sice entered their shared room and flopped onto her bed. "So. Much. Training..." Sice groaned, letting her eyes fall shut. Kurasame could be quite strict at times, and his "detention" sessions were to be avoided at all costs. But, Sice had decided to doze off on several occasions (though it didn't seem to affect her grades).

"Want me to draw you a bath?" Seven asked, seeing that the younger girl was clearly miserable. "I took a shower before I came here," Sice grumbled. "Was sweatin' like a pig." "Still," Seven said. "A bath could help relax all those sore muscles." "I don't wanna get up," Sice replied, sounding slightly annoyed. Seven ignored this change in Sice's voice and sat at the edge of her bed. "At least let me give you a massage then."

"Touch me and you die," Sice said flatly. Seven smirked to herself and placed Sice's leg in her lap. "You're too stiff to do that," she said, beginning to softly knead Sice's muscles. "Besides, you know you'd never hurt me~" Sice rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Just get on with it." Seven's smirk remained as she placed Sice's leg back on the bed. "Hold on," she said. "I'm gonna get some lotion. Turn over and lay on your stomach, okay? And take off your shirt."

Sice silently complied, slowly removing her shirt and shifting onto her stomach, feeling a slight ache with each movement. Soon, though, Seven's hands were on her skin, bringing a soothing sensation to her tense, worn out muscles. _This is nice_ , she thought. _I'll have to return the favor one day_.


	8. Lovers' Quarrel

"I love you." Seven said it out of blue - well, maybe not out of the blue. It was International Over Affectionate Lovers' Day, the holiday for gross amounts of kissing, cuddling, gifts, and public displays of affection. Sice hated it. The entire concept was dumb enough, but the fact that it was actually recognized by the state was just ridiculous. Despite that, though...

"I love you more," Sice found herself saying. She popped a fourth piece of heart-shaped chocolate into her mouth. "What was that?" Seven asked, making her way to Sice's bed. "I think you're mistaken, Sice. Because I definitely love you more." Sice raised an eyebrow and then sat up. "Excuse me," she said, sounding slightly offended. "But it is an irrefutable fact that I love you more." She gave Seven a slight glare, as if saying 'I dare you to continue this argument.'

"I'm just saying, Sice," Seven said, keeping her calm tone. "I love you even more than you're loving those chocolates I gave you." Sice put another chocolate in her mouth. "Well," she said, her voice becoming slightly garbled as she chewed. "I love you more than Ace loves sleep and chocobos. Combined." That wasn't a declaration of love, but rather a declaration of war.

Soon, the girls found themselves wrestling, professing their love in a struggle for dominance. "I love you more than all the stars in the sky!" Seven declared, trapping Sice in a headlock. "Oh yeah?" Sice asked, breaking free from Seven's hold. "I love you more than the moon and all the meteors!" She grabbed Seven's forearms before she could be pushed down, but the effort was futile. Seven put all of her body weight on Sice, making the shorter girl fall over. "Sice, I love you more than air. Beat that." "Alright," Sice spat. "I love you more than Kurasame loves pissing us off." Seven chuckled at that, and instantly found Sice on top of her.

"You let your guard down," Sice said. "How careless. But I love you anyway." Seven simply smirked, which threw Sice off a little. "What're you smiling for?" "That was on purpose, my little angry moogle-" "I told you never to call me that!" Sice's face instantly turned red with rage and embarrassment, and Seven took the opportunity to sit up and wrap Sice in a giant hug. "I love you more than you hate that name," she whispered. Sice let out a groan.

A knock on the door caught both girls' attention. "Hey!" the voice on the other side of the door called. "It's super frickin' great you're all in love and everything, but some of us are tryin'a frickin' study!"


	9. Two Different People

**_A/N_** _: Not quite a songfic, but it is based on the song "Different People" by Artist vs Poet. A little angsty I guess. I hate myself for this ugghhh my babiessss /shot_

 _We're two different people_ , Seven repeated in her head. _Just classmates._ She vividly recalled Kurasame's warning: "You are well aware that romantic relationships between cadets are forbidden." She sighed. _Maybe I just thought we wouldn't get caught._ Seven stood up and walked slowly to the shower. The water was cold, but she could hardly feel it. _I was the one who said we should break up to follow the rules, but…she went along with it so easily. It's probable that it was one-sided the whole time. Yeah, that's it._ A few tears came to her eyes. _I've got to let her go_. Seven allowed the tears to be washed from her face.

It took longer than she'd thought it would.

Walking down the hall, Seven continued to let her mind wander. _I should find another love. One nothing like hers…_ She looked up only to see Sice walking with red eyes and an empty expression. Perhaps her belief in love had shattered into pieces as well. Did her heart feel as cold? _No, it's just me,_ Seven thought. _It was always just me. She's fine. Starting now, I have to make her the furthest from anything I'll ever call home_.


	10. No Harm in Staying

"How long have we been here?" Sice asked, squinting at the sunlight shining through the window. She tried to sit up to look at the clock, but Seven promptly pulled her back onto the bed. "It doesn't matter," she yawned. Sice glanced at the textbooks on her desk. _I guess I can catch up on that reading some other time_. She placed an arm across Seven's chest, and Seven held her hand. "I guess there's no harm in staying here a while longer…" Sure, every second they spent cuddling in bed was another second they risked getting caught by the RA, or worse, Queen, but…it was totally worth it.


	11. Dancing Queen

_**A/N:**_ _I found this easier to write in the first person, Sice's POV. Not sure whether this should be classified as crack or not...either way, it was fun to write._ _I always have fun writing drunk characters, even if they're underage. Please don't hurt me._

Okay, so by whatever strange means I ended up at an unauthorized party in some abandoned dorm. That was good and well, sure. The food was alright, and somebody snuck some beer on campus so I helped myself to a few swigs of that. I didn't make myself very noticeable. Chances were if we got busted, I could sneak out and say I had nothing to do with it. It was hard to see anyone's face since the only illumination came from strobe lights and most people were dancing around. One thing was easy to see though: Seven.

It was kinda freaky, seeing her dancing on top of a table. I mean, she was good at it – really, really good – but it was so…out of character. She was totally wasted, but still… Man, how was she gonna live this mess down? I don't know what convinced her to start drinking, but before long, she was chugging vodka with a crowd around her. Where were these guys getting all this alcohol anyway? And how were they sneaking it in? Probably an inside man on campus security…

My eyes were fixated on Seven as she danced like I'd never seen her dance before. She was like a completely different person: no modesty, no shame, and not a care in the world. When the lights flashed, I could see her eyes. They were hazy, but at the same time focused. Focused on me. She'd been giving me this mischievous look the whole time. I thought maybe it was flirtatious even, but…no way. At least, that's what I thought until she blew me a kiss. And then she took off her shirt and winked at me.

 _Oh, Etro help me._ That's all I could think as I watched from a distance. Seven was wasted, and she was dancing exotically in a skirt and a lace bra, and she was silently flirting with me, and…My face was hot. Was I blushing? Crap, crap. Maybe it was a really weird dream I was having from eating that weird-looking vegetable last night. I pinched myself, but no. This was real alright.

To my elation but also to my dismay, a voice broke through the blaring music: "We're busted! Guys, we're busted!" The attendees of the party stampeded toward the exits. It was a struggle, but I made my way to the table Seven was dancing on top of. I grabbed her shirt and stepped up onto the table, picking her up by the waist. "Come to save your princess?" she asked. Man, she even sounded different. Without responding, I leapt into the herd of people and forced my way through a door.

Miraculously, I was able to sneak back into my dorm and put Seven to bed. She kept getting back up, though. "Seven, go to bed," I kept saying. But she just sat up and crossed her legs, staring at me, licking her lips. It made me nervous. Or something. It was like she could function perfectly despite being drunk. Only, her personality was warped. Or maybe this was just a dark side of herself that she kept hidden away… "Go to bed," I said again. She just kept giving me that look. I was about to just snap and scream "WHAT?!" but then she finally said, "I'll see you when the sun rises. Maybe even before that." She winked at me, and my heart began to beat more rapidly. What did that even mean? Well, if it did mean anything, I'd find out soon enough.


	12. Senpai or A Case of the Dokis

**_A/N:_** _I don't even know. Had an urge for some kouhai!Sice I guess. Turned out terribly, but still fun to write._

Just what made Seven so damn cool? Sice pondered what the answer could possibly be. Her classmate was composed 99 percent of the time, rational, kind…Usually kindness was an annoyance, but Seven's gestures of generosity and benevolence were smooth, natural. "You alright, Sice? You look like you're deep in thought." Those words snapped Sice out of her trance, and she sat up straight. Seven cocked her head just slightly, showing some concern.

"I-I'm fine," Sice said. "I was just thinking….Never mind, it has nothing to do with you." Okay, so that was a total lie, but Sice would rather avoid a conversation than embarrass herself in front of the only person whose opinion mattered. _Wait a minute_ , Sice thought. _Since when do I care about what she thinks? …I don't care what she thinks. Right! It doesn't matter!_

A few hours later, Sice found herself at Seven's door, scratching her head. "Hey, Sice. I sure wasn't expecting you." Seven's lips formed a smile and she opened her door wide, welcoming Sice inside her room. "You can sit anywhere you like." Sice sat on top of a futon in the corner of the room, and Seven plopped down on a nearby cushion. "So…" Seven began. "Did you…need something?"

Sice looked down and began lightly tapping her boots together. "Well…I kinda wanted some…advice…" Seven's eyes lit up a little. "I'm glad you're finally opening up to me. I'm all ears." Speaking of ears, Sice's ears began to darken, followed by the rest of her face as she spoke: "I was wondering, if you…like someone…how would you know?" She tried to hide her face by turning away, but her blush was still obvious from Seven's angle. "Well," Seven said. "Typical symptoms of the dokis are…nervousness…" She stood up from her pillow. "And you just can't seem to stop thinking about that person…" She took a step toward Sice and leaned over her. "And you might get red in the face." Using one hand, Seven smooshed Sice's cheeks together and turned the younger girl's face so that their eyes met. "And being near them makes you feel like you might just faint. Yet, you want to get closer…" She leaned forward, parting her lips.

Sice didn't have enough oxygen in her brain to process this; she couldn't breathe, she couldn't think, she….couldn't believe Seven would pull away like that after coming so close. Seven released her hold on Sice's cheeks and backed away, smiling innocently. "That's how I see it, anyway." Sice stuttered some gibberish and then went silent. Seven gave Sice a pat on the head. "Sorry for messing with you like that," she laughed. "But you're adorable." _Wait. What did she just call me?_ "Let's go on a date," Seven said, looking and sounding and sincere. "Wait," Sice said. "D-Does this mean you…" Seven kissed Sice's forehead. "Senpai noticed you."


	13. Here for You

"I hate snow," Sice sighed. From her bed, Seven looked pensively out the window at the moderate precipitation. She recalled when was Sice was first brought to Akademeia. Sice, a lone girl dragged out into the snow by Byakko soldiers and left to die. If Arecia hadn't saved her, she surely would have perished. Seven thought it a little humorous how she herself didn't mind wintry weather at all; perhaps it had to do with her ice magic skills.

Pressure on her arm snapped Seven out of her thoughts. Sice was leaning into her just a little. Seven put an arm around Sice's shoulders and brought her closer. She knew that Sice wasn't the best at expressing her deeper feelings, but figuring out when she needed comfort wasn't difficult at all. Sice didn't show much vulnerability to anyone in Class Zero. That is, except for Seven.

Initially, Sice had never planned on opening up to anyone. Most of her classmates annoyed her, though she came to somewhat appreciate Deuce's kindness. But she was _too_ kind at times; too forgiving, too often trying to invite her to do something with the others, too eager to make people smile. Sure, she was sweet, but it was…sickening, in a way. Maybe because she was just so different from Sice.

Seven, on the other hand, was less talkative with more of a… "no bullshit" attitude. She saw straight through Sice's emotional barriers most of the time, and stated things as they were. "I'm here for you." In the beginning, when Sice was upset, Seven would sometimes sit down beside her and say that. No barrage of annoying questions, no invitations to play a game or practice fighting, no unsolicited hugs; just a simple statement and silent company. Eventually, Sice grew to trust Seven with some of her insecurities and found herself welcoming questions and suggesting they do some of the activities she had previously resented the very thought of.

Seven became Sice's study partner, sparring buddy, her comfort, and what she could truly call her best friend. Seven understood her, respected her, and they had a mutual desire to protect one another. As far as Sice was concerned, Seven was the only person who had earned the right to see all of her; her vulnerability, her fear. No one else was allowed.

Sice closed her eyes and leaned into Seven's chest. "It's hard," she whispered. Seven gently stroked Sice's hair. "Trying to always be tough? Yeah. Sometimes what we need is to be exposed and let all of our emotions out. Lose control and just be vulnerable…" Seven could feel Sice shaking against her. "Sice, it's fine if you cry."

Sice clutched Seven's shirt and buried her face in her chest. Seven brought another arm around Sice and stroked her back as tears began to soak through her shirt and muffled sobs became audible. She continued this for a good five minutes, until Sice pulled herself away and wiped the remaining tears from her face. "Sorry," Sice said, inching away from Seven. Seven placed her hand on Sice's head. "Don't be. I'm here for you." She leaned forward and kissed Sice's forehead. Sice leaned into Seven's arms. "Hey, can I lay down for a while?"

A playful smirk came to Seven's face. "That depends. Can I give you more hugs and kisses?" Sice rolled her eyes. Though she didn't like to admit it, it was relaxing to just lay there and let Seven do whatever she felt like. She trusted her, after all. "Fine," Sice said, reclining. Seven lay down right next to her, throwing an arm over her waist and placing soft kisses on the side of her neck. "This is nice," Sice sighed contently. Seven hummed in agreement against Sice's neck, then pulled her lips away briefly. "You okay now?" Sice placed her hand over Seven's, nodding silently.

"Okay. That's what counts."


	14. Dare

This was stupid. So incredibly, unbearably stupid. Sice criticized herself for being persuaded into participating in this game of truth or dare in the first place. If the others had only _shut up_ like she'd told them to do four hundred times, she wouldn't have given in. But here she was, in Queen's room, sitting on a futon, pouting with her arms and legs crossed.

"Next up," Queen announced, looking a little too pleased. "Sice." Sice looked up, giving Queen an uninterested glare. "Truth or dare?" Whoever came up with this game was an idiot for sure. "Whatever," Sice sighed. "Dare." Queen's eyes lit up. Yep, she definitely had something up her sleeve. For such a goodie-goodie, she could be pretty mischievous at times. With a smirk on her face, Queen said, "I dare you to kiss Seven."

Wait. Hold up. Did Sice hear that correctly? She took a look around at the other members of Class Zero; they were all staring at her and Seven, who just happened to be right beside her on the futon. Did Queen plan this seating arrangement, too? Sice hesitated. "Th-This is stupid! I don't even know why I agreed to play." She began to stand up, but then Queen stopped her in her tracks with the words, "Are you scared?"

Sice sat back down and glowered at Queen, annoyed. "Listen up, Queenie. First things first, I don't get scared." The smirk on Queen's face widened just slightly as she adjusted her glasses. "Then why are you acting so afraid to kiss Seven? Surely you don't find her unattractive." She did kind of have a point. Seven was pretty…But still, this was just a stupid game. She shouldn't have to…But then again, she couldn't let anyone think she was afraid. Backing down wasn't her thing. Sice snarled, then moved her gaze from Queen to Seven, yanking the taller girl's arm to bring her closer.

Seven's lips were really soft. Sice didn't know exactly what to expect, but it caught her off guard nonetheless. She let her eyes fall shut, and she released her grip on Seven's arm. A warm, wet, _thing_ began tracing her slightly parted lips – wait a minute, was that Seven's tongue? It was totally Seven's tongue. Sice couldn't think straight at all. Seven's tongue was in her mouth, Seven's hair was brushing against her face, Seven's hands were moving up her neck to cup her cheeks, Seven… "Mmn." Only when Sice let out that small whimper did she snap back to attention and push Seven away from her. Red in the face, she looked toward Queen.

"Satisfied?"

Queen glanced at her classmates sitting in a circle on the floor; most of them looked somewhere between shocked and impressed. She then looked at a flustered Seven, chuckling. "I suppose," she said. "Alright, King. You're next. Truth or dare?"


	15. Crazy in Love

"I'm home." Sice set down her bags and practically dove onto the couch. She saw one thing in her near future and that thing was some well-deserved rest. She stretched out on the couch, yawning, and then closed her eyes.

" _Got me looking so crazy right now, your love's got me looking so crazy right now…"_

Wait, what was that? Sice rose her head and looked around. The door to the master bedroom was open. She'd definitely heard singing, and the only other person living here was… _I've got to see this,_ Sice thought, standing up despite her body's pleas for rest. She walked lightly on the balls of her feet, moving quietly. The sound of running water came within earshot, and the voice became louder.

" _Got me looking so crazy right now, your touch got me looking so crazy right now…"_

Sice's suspicions were confirmed when she entered the bathroom. Seven was totally singing in the shower. And she was…pretty good at it. Sice silently took a seat on a bench inside the bathroom, listening to Seven's soothing voice. And then when Seven noticed her presence, she could listen to flustered ramblings. It was perfect.

Seven stepped out of the shower and immediately froze. "How long have you been sitting there?" Sice managed to keep her eyes from wandering, but couldn't stop herself from laughing. Seven wrapped a towel around herself as Sice howled in amusement. "You're so immature," she grumbled. Sice stood up and gave Seven a hug, ignoring the moisture getting onto her clothes. "Nah, I'm just crazy in love."


	16. Kweh

"You're joking." Sice simply stared at Seven, who seemed completely serious, even while wearing that ridiculous feathery chocobo costume. "Come on, learning a new language is great for the brain." Seven wrapped an arm around Sice in an attempt to keep her from walking away. "Okay, but when the hell would I ever need to talk to _chocobos_?" Sice asked, rolling her eyes.

Seven guided Sice to a loveseat and sat down. "You might need to give a very specific command that we can't simply train chocobos to do. Let me teach you." She patted the space beside her, and Sice sat down with an exasperated sigh. "You're supposed to be one of the smarter ones, Seven. But this…This is just really dumb." "Kweh," Seven chuckled with a smile. "It'll be easy, Sice. You know you want to." She caressed Sice's cheek with one finger.

Sice slapped Seven's hand away. "Alright, that's enough. What's your ulterior motive?" An impish smirk came to Seven's lips and her voice took a low tone. "Kweh, kweh. _Kweh_." Whatever that was, it got Sice a little flustered. "What did you say?" she asked, curious but nowhere near willing to learn this so-called "language." "Let me teach you and you'll find out," Seven said, her smile reverting back to something mostly innocent. Sice rolled her eyes again. "Whatever. Nevermind."

Sice stood up and began walking toward the door. "Next time we go on a 'date,' I'm choosing." "Kweh," Seven said quietly, with some sort of desperation in her voice, as if begging Sice not to leave. Sice turned around and bared her teeth. "…Fine." She slowly walked back to Seven and sat beside her with a huff. "Etro, this is so stupid." Seven beamed at Sice, who just shook her head. "Alright, get on with it."

"Right!" Seven said. "The basics. We'll start with the simple, 'Kweh.'" Unamused, Sice stared blankly at Seven as she continued: "Repeat after me. 'Kweh.'" Sice concluded that the sooner she cooperated, the sooner this "lesson" would be over. So, she swallowed her dignity and muttered, "Kweh." Seven stared in awe for a few seconds, like she wasn't expecting Sice to say it. Maybe that was because she really _wasn't_ expecting Sice to say it. At all. A few seconds of silence passed before Seven burst out into laughter. "I can't believe you actually said it!" she howled. "Never in a million years did I think…" Laughter overcame her again.

"You're the one in the chocobo costume," Sice reminded her girlfriend. Seven wiped a tear from her eye. "Yeah, but I lost a bet. You…you actually fell for it!" She held her gut as giggles shook her body. Sice shook her head as Seven continued her little fit, because apparently a simple "Kweh" was _so_ hilarious. Ten seconds or so later, Seven composed herself and then whispered, "Kweh…kweh." Sice gave a sideways glance. "Do I even want to know?" "It means 'I love you,'" Seven said, a hint of laughter still in her voice. Sice sighed, and there was a brief silence before she decided to inquire about an earlier statement. "So what's this about a bet?"


	17. The Calm in the Storm

"Wait up, I can't see a damn thing. Seven, I said wait up!" Sice felt along the walls of the orphanage, attempting to catch up to Seven. Of course, those words fell on deaf ears. Seven scrambled through the darkness, thinking up different ways to deal with the situation while also criticizing herself. She should've been prepared for this. She should've had a plan ready beforehand. Now the younger children would panic and she might not be able to calm them down. This was bad, awful, just completely terrible.

"Crap," Sice whispered as hail began to strike the building. "Hey, Seven, you find a candle yet? Or a flashlight?" A dim light flickered on in the distance, and Sice could make out the outline of Seven, surrounded by other small figures. She could hear mixed cries of "Mommy, I'm scared," and "What's that noise?" A crack of thunder silenced the children for a moment, and Sice took the opportunity to speak up as she approached them. "Don't worry, it's just a storm. We're all gonna be just fine."

Seven stroked the head of a child who had buried his face in her shirt. "That's right, everything's going to be okay. Now, is everyone here? Sice, can you check upstairs?" Sice gave a nod and began her ascent up the pitch black stairway as Seven began a head count. She reached the top of the stairs and felt around. "Hey, anyone here? I can't see ya…ow." She bumped into something, a bed maybe; not something she was too concerned with at the moment.

Sice called out again. "Anybody? No one here? Huh…Guess not…" She made her way back downstairs, being careful not to trip. "Everyone's here," Seven reported to Sice's relief. The children were seated on the floor now, surrounding Seven. They still looked a bit shaky, but definitely more calm than before. Sice cleared her throat to draw their attention. "I've noticed a lot of you are afraid of storms. Anyone wanna tell me what makes 'em so scary?" She looked around at the different young faces, waiting for an answer.

"They're loud," one girl piped. "Alright," Sice sympathized. "I'm not a fan of loud noises either. But I get through it!" She winked and gave a grin. It didn't seem to boost morale. "The sky wants to rip us apart!" another child said. "Ice falling out of the sky, and wind, they can tear up everything. And lightning can set stuff on fire, and buildings can collapse and-" "Hey," Sice interrupted. "You're being way too pessimistic. And that's a lot, coming from me." "What's pessimisc?" a different child asked. "Oh, right," Sice said, remembering the limited vocabulary of some of the kids. "Pessimistic means…negative, doubtful, you think the worst thing is gonna happen."

"Anyway," Sice said, getting back to her main topic. "Don't make the worst of things. Let me tell you all something. Me and Seven, we're here to keep you safe. These walls are strong, and so are we. So long as you live under this roof, nothing bad's gonna happen to you. I promise. Well, unless you get on one of our bad sides." She followed the last statement with a laugh, and a few of the children laughed with her.

"Sice is right," Seven said, smiling in Sice's direction. It was a smile Sice knew; the same smile she saw when she woke up early at the break of dawn and Seven kissed her and whispered, "Go back to sleep;" the same smile she saw on the day of their wedding when Seven helped her cut the first slice of cake; the most beautiful smile in the world.

"Mom?" Sice looked down at a child tugging on her hand. They gave her a huge smile. "Thanks, that helped a lot." Sice took a seat and set the child in her lap. "Good. Now, while you're all up, let me tell you a story about your Aunt Queen."


	18. Deployment Morning

The sun's first rays shone through the window, and Seven's eyes fluttered open. She looked down at the mess of white hair resting on her chest and felt the slow breathing against her skin. Sice was at peace, at least for now. That was good. With her arms already wrapped around Sice, Seven couldn't help but hug her a little closer. She didn't want to let go, but soon she would have to.

Sice stirred a little and lifted her head. "Morning already?" She looked at Seven's face. "Hey, you look like you're gonna cry." "I might," Seven said, staring wistfully into Sice's eyes. Sice sat up and tried her best to smile. "Yeah, I know. You've been gone almost a month and you just got back. And I have to go today." Seven pulled Sice's head toward her and kissed her lips. "Don't remind me. I don't want to think about that." "Fair enough," Sice yawned before cupping Seven's cheeks. "But you do know I love you, right?" Seven's eyes widened slightly. Of course she knew that. It was just that Sice had never said those words before.

"I know," Seven said, positioning her hands on Sice's waist. "I love you too." Sice smiled softly. "I'll be back before you know it." With no further words, she leaned forward and kissed Seven tenderly. They were going to savor every moment of this morning.


	19. Awaiting Your Return

At this point, Seven really couldn't help herself. Sice's mission was supposed to take a maximum of four days, but today was the eighth. The memory of her was still there, bright as day: her blue eyes, her sarcastic comments, her sheer determination, just her presence; Seven wanted it all back. But, at least Sice was alive.

That was right. If Seven could remember her, then she was definitely alive. But if Sice was still alive, where was she? Seven's mind immediately wandered to dark places. Was she being held captive? Interrogated? Tortured? Seven tried to shake the thoughts and let her head fall into Sice's pillow. It still smelled like her…Even with all of Seven's tears on it, it still smelled just like Sice.

"She'll come back," Seven murmured to herself. "She has to. She did promise, after all…"


	20. Pampered

"Right there, don't stop." Seven had to admit, Sice was skilled with her hands. She hadn't been expecting a foot massage, especially not one this _good_ , but she wasn't going to complain if Sice wanted to pamper her. "Want me to do your nails too?" Sice asked, looking up at Seven's face from her spot on the floor. "Uh…" Seven said, staring off into space with a contented smile. Sice stood up and gave her a kiss on the nose. "I see you're in the zone. How about I just file 'em?" Seven gave a lazy nod. "…Okay." Chuckling, Sice knelt back down. "That's right, Sev. Just take it easy." _You deserve it_ , she thought.


	21. Sleep Well

Sice's eyes were glued shut and her body was still paralyzed for the most part, but she was conscious. There was something warm and soft pressed against her back, something she could only identify as a body. With each passing second, Sice became more aware and the sleep paralysis wore off. There was an arm over her waist, and she could just barely feel faint breaths on the back of her neck. Who in the right mind would invade her personal space, especially in the middle of the night? It wasn't much of a question; only one person would dare pull such a stunt.

"Seven," Sice mumbled, sitting up. "What the hell?" Seven opened her eyes slowly and blinked once, not moving from her lying position. "You were crying in your sleep." Sice blinked a few times and felt her cheeks. Sure enough, they were a little moist. "It was about half an hour ago," Seven continued. "I heard your voice. It was just a little whimper, but then I looked and saw you were crying so I came over. Sorry I woke you."

Sice scratched the back of her head and slowly lay back down, facing Seven. "No, that's okay," she said quietly. "It'll be like old times, right?" Seven recalled when Arecia had first taken Sice in. She was the only one to notice that Sice cried in her sleep each night for a week after her arrival. And each of those nights, Seven would gently shake Sice awake and hand her a few tissues. A low "Thanks" would be Sice's only response, until one night when Seven found herself being shaken awake. "Move over," Sice would mutter, and Seven would oblige, allowing the younger girl to rest her head against her chest and sleep soundly. After a few of these occurrences, Sice tended to sleep just fine, but Seven always kept an eye out, just in case.

"Just like old times," Seven whispered with a smile. She pressed her lips gently against Sice's forehead and closed her eyes. Some things didn't really change. Or, maybe they did. A few seconds later, Seven felt Sice's lips against hers, and her eyes fluttered open. She hardly had time to reciprocate the kiss before Sice pulled away, smiling and looking up into her eyes. "Goodnight, Seven."


	22. Carry On

"Am I interrupting something?" Queen really did have a bad habit of popping out of nowhere at the most inappropriate of times. Seven stood from her kneeling position in front of Sice and greeted Queen. "No, not really. But you did startle us. I could've sworn that door was locked…" Queen's eyes moved over to Sice's red face. "What're you looking at? Quit that!" Sice seemed to be quite on edge. Queen chuckled at the confirmation of her suspicions. Not that there was ever really any doubt.

"Just hurry up and tell us what you want!" Sice pressed. "Me and Seven want some time _alone_." At that, Queen adjusted her glasses. "Is that so? I see, then…Never mind." Sice and Seven briefly exchanged puzzled looks. "Wait," Seven said. "So, did you need something?" Queen gave her classmates a smile that held a hint of mischief. "No. Next time, though." With that, she left the room and locked the door behind her.


	23. A Hug and Hella Tears

As soon as she heard a sniffle, Seven knew something was wrong. "Sice?" Her girlfriend didn't respond, instead remaining hunched over on her bed. Seven closed the door behind her, then walked over and sat down. "Do you want to tell me what's wrong?" It was clear now that Sice was trembling, holding in sobs. Seven hugged the younger girl from behind. "It's okay to cry. You need to let it out." A few moments of silence passed. Sice didn't push Seven away, which she took as a good sign.

A kiss on the shoulder made Sice jump slightly. "Gotcha," Seven teased. She began to hum a tune to fill in for Sice's lack of words. It was peaceful and familiar, Sice noted, but she couldn't quite remember where it was from. Still, it calmed her. The tears blurring her vision eventually came to a stop and she opened her mouth to speak. "We can, I mean…I'm ready to talk now." Seven released her hold so that Sice could turn around to face her. "I'm all yours. I mean, all ears." A faint smile came to Sice's face for a quick second, then faded.

"So what's wrong?" Seven asked. Sice wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Uh…I sort of…played episode four." Seven's perplexed state of mind instantly became visible on her face. "Life is Strange?" Sice nodded. "I'm sorry, Seven. I just-" "We were supposed to do this together." "I know, but I-" "You promised." Seven's voice cracked and Sice's heart sank. "Sice." Seven cupped Sice's cheeks and lifted her lowered head. "Sice, let's take a break." Sice did her best to remain calm and drew in a deep breath. "Okay."

Seven then planted a kiss on Sice's forehead. "Take a break and get some smoothies, dumb-dumb. Come on." She stood up and offered her hand, which Sice took almost impulsively. "You can be a real ass sometimes. I oughta spoil it." "Don't you dare." "You're right. I should let your unsuspecting soul be crushed just like mine was." Seven shook her head. "I'm looking forward to it."


	24. Scrape then Bake

**_A/N: Takes place years and years ago with smol!Class Zero living under Arecia's care_**

x

Sice groaned as the healing magic patched up her scraped elbow. "You really should be more careful," Seven admonished. Sice rolled her eyes. "Yeah, like it was my fault. Nine's the one who provoked me." The wound closed quickly, but there was still a stinging throb in the area. "I know it's hard to get along sometimes," Seven said. "But you need to control yourself and not attack your teammates. Outside of combat practice, that is." She gave a faint smile, to which Sice responded by rolling her eyes again. "Yeesh, who do you think you are, Mother?"

"Well," Seven said, gripping Sice's arm and beginning to give a strange sort of massage. "I am in charge when she is out. I take care of the rest of you pretty well, I think. And…" She brought her lips to Sice's elbow and made just the slightest contact. "When you get a boo-boo, I kiss it better." Sice jerked her arm away, noticing now that her elbow had stopped hurting. "Yeah, okay," she said, turning her head away for some reason she didn't quite understand. "What do you want, a cookie for your valiant efforts?"

Seven's eyes lit up at those words. "Well, Mother did teach you her recipe the other day. If I'm supervising you, I don't think she'd mind if we borrowed the kitchen." "Oh, you're serious," Sice said, recalling her companions' love for the cookies that were prepared for them from time to time. No one could ever get enough. "Hmm, I guess it should be fine if I make a batch…But Nine doesn't get any." Seven's smile turned into a scowl. " _Sice_." "Fine," Sice sighed. "I'll start on the dough." She began to walk toward the kitchen and Seven nodded. "I'll be right there, love. I just need to check on the others."

"Love." What exactly did that mean? Sice pondered this as she searched for flour. "I had to wake King up, but the others will be fine with him watching." Seven's voice startled the young baker and pulled her from her thoughts. "Hm? Is something wrong?" Seven always could read the others well. "No," Sice said. "I was just thinking." "About what?" "Uh, nothing. I mean, I think I'll figure it out in time."

And she did.


	25. Dear Diary

_**Sice's diary entries ohoho~**_

 **x**

"Mother said I should keep a diary if I didn't want to talk to anyone. Honestly I think it's kind of stupid, but Mother's always right so…

I don't even know what to write. It's not like we did anything today. I could write about Nine being an idiot, but that'd fill this whole book up and I still wouldn't be done. And Machina…I won't bother to get started with him either. Seven was acting a little weird today. I wonder what her deal is."

"We went on a mission. It took less than two whole days. Me, Seven, and short stuff were teamed up. The mission itself was easy enough, but I couldn't focus as well. I kept thinking about Seven a lot for some reason. I never really noticed how graceful she is in battle. My opposite. And I caught her eyeing me a few times too. I wonder what she thinks of my battle style. My guess is she thinks I'm a bloodthirsty savage. That is how I act on the battlefield. And off it, too. It's not all me, though. The malice fucks me up sometimes. It's not my fault, or at least that's what I keep telling myself."

"Cinque asked me why I looked so down. What's with that? It's not like I can just go around smiling for no reason like some people. Then Deuce said I looked upset, and Rem agreed. What's it to the newbie? Everyone's acting weird."

"Yup, Seven's a total weirdo. I was just sitting down, minding my own business, and then she comes and plops down right next to me. And then she grabs my hand. What the hell.

But at least her hand was soft. Having her there felt kind of good."

"I. Hate. The. Female. Reproductive. System."

"Seven got me a cinnamon roll. I thought they were all out. And she gave me this dumb smile when I ate it. It was cute. Dumb, but cute."

"Another mission. Quick and easy, but I've got a ton of pent up malice and it has me on edge. I really need to find a way to let this stuff out. Besides mowing down more enemies on the next mission. Maybe I'll ask Seven. She's probably the most down-to-earth person in the class."

"I'm writing about Seven a lot. I'm not sure if that's a normal thing or…?"

"She hugged me. She hugged me. I don't know why she hugged me but it made me feel really weird. Not a bad type of weird, but an exhilarating type of weird. Like when I've just wrecked a bunch of Militesi soldiers and my heart's pounding, except without all the bloodlust. It's like a happy type of weird. I kind of want to do it again."

"Huh. So this is what a crush is like. Laaaame."

"She has to be doing it on purpose. The way she brushes her hair out of her face. It's killing me. And the way her eyes light up when she smiles. She's going to drive me crazy."

"This is ridiculous. My heart shouldn't be beating this hard because of the mere thought of a single person. Sheesh. I need to get over this pronto."

"SHE ASKED IF I WAS OKAY AND PATTED MY HAIR AND LET ME REST MY HEAD ON HER TITS WHICH ARE REALLY REALLY SOFT BY THE WAY."

"Queen teased me and Seven about our handholding. Seven didn't say anything. I told Queen to shut the hell up. Still held onto Seven's hand though. Shit's warm and soft and perfect. And it makes me feel like I'm at home."

"Crap. I think Seven's catching on. Well, I have to confess at some point."

"Okay, I haven't been writing in here for a while but Mother said to keep the diary if I didn't want to talk. But I have been talking. To Seven. Did I mention we're girlfriends now? I'm so stupidly happy."

"Dear Diary, Seven is a goddess. P.S. We found a way to get rid of my malice."


	26. Day One

Seven carefully watched the injured girl through the cracked door. The newcomer's tiny pale hand raised a spoonful of warm soup to her chapped lips. As the broth made its way down her throat, the softest smile formed on her face. "There you are." Arecia's voice startled Seven, who turned around to face her caretaker. "I'm sorry, Mother. I was being nosey." Arecia simply smiled and knelt to better look at her eldest protégé.

"Seven, I actually have an assignment for you regarding that girl." Seven stiffened. An assignment? She'd carry it out, of course. But how difficult would the task be? Seven was used to receiving the jobs that required the most diligence, but new things still made her just the tiniest bit nervous. "Her name is Sice," Arecia continued. "I'm going to introduce her to everyone in the morning. Seven, I want you to watch over her until she's comfortable here. You know well that I am often absent from this place, so I want you to take care of Sice. Can you do that?"

Seven nodded eagerly. "Yes, Mother!" She rather enjoyed new company, and she presumed that getting Sice acquainted with everyone shouldn't be too difficult. They were actually quite a welcoming bunch. Yes, this assignment would be easy, and fun, too. "Very well," Arecia said, standing up straight. "It's about time for you to get to bed. I'll see you in the morning, sweetheart." With a "Goodnight, Mother," Seven made her way to bed and soon drifted off to sleep in the midst of her thoughts of what the morning would bring.

Sunrise came soon enough, and Seven planted her feet on the floor and began stretching. Everyone else was still asleep, of course. That had mostly been a constant for as long as they'd been under Arecia's care. After contemplating for a moment, Seven crawled back into bed. The second person to rise was usually Deuce, and she probably wouldn't wake for another half hour or so. About an hour that, the others normally got up except for Ace. It was always a struggle getting him out of bed…

Seven yawned and closed her eyes for a quick nap. She might need an energy boost to take extra care of Sice. The nap was indeed quick; Seven woke up feeling almost as if she'd never gone back to sleep, though she could recall some receding images from a dream: a clear sky, some flowers, and an animal but she couldn't remember what kind. "Come on, Seven," Cinque said, tugging at Seven's sleeve. "Mother's wants to talk to all of us." Okay, maybe the nap hadn't been so quick. Seven sat up and looked out the window. The sun was high in the sky now. Just how long had she been asleep? Nevermind that; she had to go join the others. Calculating her approximate amount of sleep wasn't going to change anything. After a quick stretch, Seven walked speedily to the next room and joined the other children sitting in a circle.

"It seems everyone is present," Arecia said, taking a final glance at her pupils. "First, I'd like you all to know that last night, I took in a new child. This is Sice, and she will be with us from now on. Please, make her feel welcome." She stepped aside to reveal a girl with messy white hair, pale blue eyes, and several bruises all over her body. "Hiya, Sice!" Jack greeted, waving his hand in the air. Deuce gave a polite, "Hello," and the others gave a mix of short informal greetings and friendly gestures.

Sice didn't seem to look at her new companions at all; instead, her gaze was fixed on the wall behind them. "Hi," was all she said. When it seemed that that was all there was to the initial introduction, Arecia spoke again. "Second, you are aware that I have a very important job. I must go tend to that job now. I'll return within a couple of days. While I am gone, please read the pages I mentioned yesterday." She began to walk away, and Seven noticed Sice's slightly panicked body language, an arm automatically reaching out for Arecia before returning to its original place. "And please, make Sice feel at home."

Sice glanced around at the others for the first time. Apparently it was normal for them to be left alone for days. It didn't sit very well with Sice, which she found strange considering the amount of time she'd spent in an environment without adults. No matter; she'd just tough this one out like she did every other thing. "Yo, Sice!" As the other children had begun to fetch textbooks, Nine had approached Sice. The instantaneous response from Sice was, "The hell are you lookin' at?" The smile on Nine's scarred face disappeared. "Hey, the new girl's pretty. Pretty bitchy."

"The hell did you say?!" Sice took a fighting stance. Nine shifted his feet and raised his fists, preparing for battle as well. "You heard me. You're bein' a total bitch-Ah!" Nine rubbed the area on his head that Queen had just struck. "Is that any way to treat someone you just met?" Queen reprimanded. "You must learn to better control yourself, Nine." Nine pointed to Sice with one hand, the other still massaging his head. "Tell _her_ that! She's rude as hell!" Seven sighed and reluctantly joined the fray in an attempt to settle things. "Please calm down. Nine, Sice, you were both rude to one another. Please apologize to each other and don't use that language again. Also, Queen, it was unnecessary to hit Nine. Don't do it again."

"It's the only way to get through to him," Queen sighed to herself before leaving to supervise the others' retrieval of textbooks. "And who are you?" Sice asked. Seven straightened her slightly slouching back, maximizing their height difference. "My name is Seven. I'm in charge when Mother is gone, and I've specifically been assigned to take care of you." After a moment of hesitation, Sice lowered her head. "If Mother says you're in charge then I guess I have no choice…" She looked up at Nine. "Sorry." Nine nodded. "Yeah. Sorry."

Relieved, Seven sighed. She had a feeling that the situation could've ended up a lot worse. "Okay," she said. "The others should have all the books out by now. We're all going to read about Potions. Come on." Sice and Nine followed Seven to some tables where the others were sitting with open textbooks. Seven sat at the head of the table and Sice sat near her, across from Cater. Nine took the only empty seat left, which was between King and Queen. "You know, I feel like this isn't a coincidence," he grumbled. "Like I'm in the time-out corner…"

Ignoring Nine, Queen began to read aloud. "A Potion is a healing item that…Cater, are you listening?" Cater rubbed her eye and yawned. "Yeah. Even if it is super boring. You know Seven over here's making sure I stay awake." Queen exchanged a glance with Seven, nodded, then continued reading. For an hour. After finally finishing the chapter, Ace, Deuce, Cater, Cinque, Eight, Nine, and Jack all retreated to bed.

"I'll put up the books," Queen said, closing each one carefully. She skipped over Trey, who remained seated, continuing to read. "King, can you make lunch for everyone?" Seven requested. King seemed lost in thought for a minute. Finally, he asked, "Is ramen alright? I know you'd probably prefer some fruit, but…" "It's fine," Seven said. "Just make enough for everyone else. I'll find something for myself. And Sice, if you're not a big fan of noodles I can find you something else too-" "Why so concerned about me?" Seven was caught off guard by that question, though the answer was simple enough: "I'm supposed to take care of you. So I'll give you my very best."

Sice found the way Seven smiled at her to be strange, but she didn't say anything. She didn't want to ruin the joy in those violet eyes. Not just yet. She sure didn't mind spoiling Queen's fun, though. "What's so funny?" she asked the bespectacled giggling girl. "Nothing," Queen replied, the smile on her face making it even more obvious that she'd just told a big fat lie. Sice gave her a suspicious look before being led into the kitchen by Seven.

"I'm going to make a salad," Seven said as King began to boil some noodles. "Is there anything you'd like, Sice? We have plenty of fruits and vegetables, and I could cook some meat if you want. And there's the ramen King is making, of course. We're nowhere near Mother's level of skill, but our cooking is edible, I assure you." Sice scanned the room, then looked at the floor. "I'll just have whatever you're having. Or applesauce, if you have that."

Two hours later, Ace was asleep, Deuce was coloring with Cinque, Trey was attempting to explain something he'd read to a very confused Cater, Jack was telling Eight _something_ in the middle of the latter's push-up contest with Nine, Queen was whispering in King's ear, and Seven was watching Sice consume her eighteenth cup of applesauce. Seven didn't want to be rude, but eighteen was pretty excessive in her opinion. "You don't have to eat _all_ of it, you know."

Sice licked any remaining applesauce from the bottom of the cup and swallowed. "Yeah I do." Her mind seemed to go somewhere else, somewhere dark. "I have to. If I ever have a chance to, I have to eat until I'm full. So full I can barely even move." Silently, Seven placed a hand on Sice's head and began sifting her fingers through the tangled white hair. Surprisingly, Sice didn't reject the touch. Seven thought about what to say. She should choose her words carefully; but what could she really say besides… "Are you full now?"

Sice leaned into Seven's hand. "…Huh. Yeah, I guess so…" She then snapped back to attention, taking a step back with a faint pink tinge on her cheeks. "Uh, I'm gonna go to bed early." Sice's brief moment of fluster brought a smile to Seven's face. "Your bed's right across from mine. Here, I'll show you." Sice followed Seven, looking back once at Queen's mischievous grin. What was that all about?

Seven patted a neatly made bed. "This one's yours. You can get ready for bed and sleep away, like Ace up there." She motioned toward Ace's sleeping form in a top bunk. Sice gave Seven a nod. "Thanks." Seven smiled. "And one more thing, Sice. How was your first day?" Sice hadn't been anticipating that question at all and took a little while to come up with an answer. "It was…It was okay. I mean, I learned some new stuff and had a ton of applesauce. And I've got you. Wait, no, that didn't come out right." Seven placed a hand on Sice's shoulder. "No, you were right. You have me. If you ever need someone to talk to, help with something, a shoulder to cry on – anything. You have me, okay? I'll take care of you."

Sice tried desperately not to take those words to heart, but she failed. She offered Seven a hardly visible, quick, but sincere, smile. "Thank you." "Sweet dreams," Seven said, returning the smile. She kept her eyes on Sice as she left, until she turned the corner and the younger girl was no longer visible. The first day was often difficult because so much was new, and things could be quite chaotic. But Seven felt that she'd made Sice's first day bearable, and that gave her joy. Joy equal to the smugness in Queen's smirk. What was that all about?


	27. Sleeping Angel

This was a perplexing situation. Sice never woke up before Seven, ever; but there she was, conscious, pressed between Seven's hand and chest, listening to hardly audible snores. Judging from the lack of footsteps and conversation outside the door, it wasn't time to prepare for class yet. They probably had a good two, maybe three hours left. And it seemed that Seven was going to put those hours to good use.

If Sice could've shifted any closer to Seven, she would've. However, she noticed, Seven was already holding her as close as possible. It was a firm hold, solid as if to protect her, but Seven's hand was also gentle, her fingers tracing small light circles even in deep sleep. Had it always been like that? Sice hadn't really ever had the chance to see – or rather, feel – how Seven slept. The sun had yet to rise and she couldn't really make anything out with her eyes. Not that it was necessary. The feel of Seven's warm, soft skin was more than enough.

A smile crept onto Sice's face and she didn't try to stop it. She was happy to be there with the person she loved, the person who loved her back, the one who always looked out for her, the one who wanted to make her feel safe – even without being awake. She was happy to be in bed with her body practically melded into Seven's. She was happy to be home.


	28. Drowsy Confidante

Reluctantly, Sice took a seat on the edge of Seven's bed. Honestly, it was so embarrassing. "Hey," she nearly whispered. Seven stirred a little and rolled over beneath her sheets to face Sice's back. "Something wrong?" Her voice was calm and soothing as always, just what Sice needed. Come to think of it, it was almost like a blanket: soft and comfortable; something to get wrapped up in and fall asleep to.

Sice took a slow, deep breath and then sighed. "I just feel more irritable than usual. You know, with the war going on and everyone depending on us. That's all." Seven sat up in bed and wrapped her arms around Sice's waist. "Yeah," she murmured. "I know. But that's a big 'us,' Sice. You're not alone in this. Remember that." With a sleepy sigh, she nuzzled the back of Sice's neck.

"I-I will," Sice stuttered as the older girl's hair tickled her skin. "Uh, Seven?" "Hm?" Seven moved her chin to rest on Sice's shoulder. "I…Thanks. For everything." Sice tried to stand, but Seven didn't seem to be letting go of her waist. "Why don't you stay here tonight?" Seven asked to Sice's surprise. "Just right here. With me." Sice hesitated a moment. Even if she was sleepy, Seven was very capable of making rational decisions – or in this case, suggestions – so why was she acting so weird? Well, maybe it wasn't that weird. Maybe the concept of weirdness was something that varied from person to person.

"Seven?" It wasn't a bad idea. Sharing Seven's bed, her warmth, getting to inhale her scent and feel her skin, probably finally being able to get some decent sleep. It all sounded quite appealing. "Sice?" Seven's lips brushed against Sice's bare shoulder. Sice brought a hand up to one of Seven's hands that was resting on her waist. "Is this your half-awake attempt to seduce me?" After a pause, Seven began to laugh quietly. "Maybe, Sice. Maybe." Sice shifted and began to make room for herself beneath Seven's sheets. "Well, I can't say it's not working." She crawled into bed and moved around a little until she was in a comfortable position. "But I'm tired and you're hardly conscious. So how about you continue your attempt in the morning?" Smiling, Seven let her eyes fall shut as she threw an arm over Sice's body and pulled her closer. "Fine by me."


	29. Finis, Together

_**A/N: I honestly kind of hate this one. But I'll post it anyway.**_

 **x**

So the time had come. Tempus Finis. The dominion was in chaos. No wonder some of her classmates were panicking, Seven thought. And then Nine reminded her of another thing: "Where'd that punk Machina go off to? Rem's in trouble! She needs him, that jerk!" It was a good question. Seven pondered Machina's whereabouts. "Since all of us remember who Machina is, that's proof that he's still alive."

Maybe it wasn't the best idea to throw her thoughts out in the open. Sice had definitely never been fond of Machina, but she seemed to have snapped when Seven expressed even the slightest interest in where he might be at a time like this. She stepped forward, her eyes a bit more menacing than usual. "So where is he then?" Though she was surprised, Seven maintained her calm, cool exterior as always. It was strange for Sice to act this way. Well, toward her, anyway.

"Sice." Seven's voice was authoritative, but not aggressive. Still, it only seemed to push Sice further. The younger girl snarled. "Oh, quit the big sister bullcrap." She took steps forward, invading Seven's personal space. "You always act so collected and unfazed by everything. Maybe you can stay relaxed at the end of the world, but some of us don't have that luxury!" Her face was inches from Seven's now, and Seven's expression remained blank. "…Don't patronize me!" She raised her fist before hesitating and then lowering it.

"Damn it. Seven, I'm sorry." Sice took a step back. "I guess Class Zero is starting to fall apart, huh?" Seven looked around at her classmates. "No, I don't think so." She extended an arm to Sice and brought her into a light hug. Sice took a deep breath against Seven's shoulder, and her hair tickled Seven's nose. Truthfully, Seven had missed having this type of contact with Sice. The last time she'd been able to embrace her was when they were children. "I think Class Zero is coming together."

It was then that Sice remembered that the rest of the class was watching, and she pushed herself away from Seven. In an attempt to hide her embarrassment, she cracked her knuckles and smirked. "So let's go save the world." She paused, then added, "Together."


	30. Trust Me

"So, how's it going?" Emina asked, resting an elbow on Sice's shoulder. Sice continued her history assignment. "How's what going?" Emina's grin widened. "You know… _Seven_?" Sice's hand twitched and she nearly dropped her pen. "Oh…that. It's going fine, I guess." Emina sat down in the chair across from Sice. "You haven't talked to her at all, have you?" Sice didn't respond. "Just as I thought. You know, I didn't take you for the shy type." After that comment, Sice rolled her eyes. "Well do you have any bright ideas, Ms. Romance Expert?" Immediately, she regretted asking that question.

"I thought you'd never ask," Emina replied. "My…associates and I have set up the perfect plan. Come with me. And, bring that homework or whatever you've got there." Sighing, Sice followed her self-proclaimed wingwoman to the Crystarium. "Alright," Emina said. "This is where I leave you. Your mission is to ask Seven for help with your work there. And then, casually ask her to help you practice the Sacred Fusion of the Phoenix." Sice cocked an eyebrow. "And just what the hell is that?" Emina smirked. "Trust me. Now, I must be off!" With a wink, she disappeared behind a corner.

Sice took a deep breath. This whole thing was beyond idiotic, but Emina would force her to do it one way or another. Better to get it over with sooner. Though Sice's normal scowl wasn't quite present, it seemed that most of the students had been conditioned to stay out of her path and avoided her anyway as she approached Seven. "Uh, hi," she said nervously, taking a seat. "I needed help with a couple things, if that's alright." Seven looked up from her book. "Oh, sure thing. What is it?" Sice looked at her history work. There was only one question left to finish, and she knew the answer. Really, it was pointless to even ask about it. She set the work aside. "Actually, it was only one thing."

Behind a nearby bookcase, Emina and Queen watched. "Do you really think this will go well?" Queen asked. "It's in the bag," Emina assured her. "In that case," Queen said, rising from her crouching position, "I'm going to check on Ryid's work." She walked over to where Ryid was sitting, only a couple tables over from Seven and Sice. Making sure not to get caught looking, she glanced once at the two before taking a seat. "How is the progress?" she whispered. Ryid looked up from his paper and smiled. "The lighting is perfect, my creative juices are flowing, and this piece is nearly complete." He slid the sheet of paper across the table to Queen.

"Amazing!" Queen said quietly, gaping at Ryid's artwork. He'd drawn Seven and Sice seated at the table not too far from them, but somehow made them look even better than in real life. He'd added a few artistic touches, most notably a change in their facial expressions: they were gazing at each other intensely, longingly. "Please," Queen said, sliding the paper back to Ryid. "Finish this masterpiece." Ryid gave a simple nod and continued to draw while Queen stood up and returned to Emina's spot behind the bookcase.

"Ryid is one amazing artist," Queen reported. Emina watched as Sice and Seven stood up from their table. "Yeah, we're lucky to have him. Okay, silence now." Seven searched the shelves on the opposite side of the bookcase, with Sice right beside her. "Phoenix…Sacred, might be an older- Oh! Here it is." Seven opened to the book's index. "Is there anything in particular you needed help with, Sice?" Sice scratched her head. What even was the Sacred Fusion of the Phoenix? It sounded like some complicated team battle move. "Uh…the whole thing, I guess."

Seven flipped to the front of the book. "Okay, then, I guess we can start with-" She froze. "Sice. You're sure you want to do this? With me, of all people?" She brought her hand to her chest and almost smiled, as if flattered. Sice looked over Seven's shoulder. "Well, yeah, I…Oh. OH." Her mind immediately went blank as all the blood in her body rose to her cheeks. "I didn't know you felt that way," Seven continued. She smiled and closed the book. "Wow. Let's, um, let's go on a date then!" Her cheeks were rosy now, but a little embarrassment wasn't going to get in the way of her joy.

Seven gave Sice a peck on the lips and then giggled, "We can practice this Sacred Fusion of the Phoenix, too, sometime." Giving a final, huge smile, Seven practically frolicked away from a dumbfounded Sice. When she was out of sight, Emina appeared from behind the bookcase. "I told you to trust me."


	31. Gag Reel: Take One

_**A/N: Today's lesson is, don't allow me to discuss borderline crack headcanons, or else strange little things like these will be created.**_

 **X**

Seven was rather exhausted after the night's events, but the sound of sniffling immediately made her alert again. "Sice?" She shook the girl resting on top of her. "Sice, are you okay?" Sice looked up, her hands still tangled in Seven's hair. "Huh? No, why – wait, what's that?" She heard it too. The sniffles, and then a little whimper. Someone was crying, and it wasn't either of the cadets in bed.

Seven turned her head with fear, and Sice with anger. Simultaneously, they both shouted, "QUEEN?!" Queen sat on the bed across the room, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. "H-How long have you been here?" Seven asked, not really wanting to hear the answer. Queen clenched her fists, passionately proclaiming, "I saw the whole thing! It's the most beautiful display of affection I've ever witnessed!" After a few seconds of silence and shock, Sice summoned her scythe. "Get out. Now."

 **X**

Honestly, all Cater wanted was some peace and quiet for once in her life. Some decent sleep was what she craved, but it always eluded her. No thanks to her noisy neighbors. "Come on, you guys!" Cater shouted, banging on the door. She gripped the doorknob, surprised to find that it was unlocked. Shrugging, she entered. It wasn't like she'd stumble upon anything she hadn't seen before. She'd walked in on them, what, six times now? It really didn't even matter-

"QUEEN, you too?!"

"I can explain!"

"That's it, I'm telling Mother!"

"Please, Cater, no! I beg of you!"

"I knew you were thirsty, but-"

"Cater, I'm so sorry you had to see this! I swear, this was completely spontaneous. Sice and I weren't-"

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT!"

 **X**

Even the simpler days weren't that simple.

"What's the matter with you?" Sice asked as she walked into one of the smallest rooms in the facility. The room contained a chair, three beds, and lots of medical supplies. Two of the beds were currently occupied by Seven and Queen, who just looked up at her with empty expressions. "Hey, Sice," Seven sighed. Sice took a seat in the chair. "Hey. Okay, but seriously, what's wrong with the two of you? You look like you're dying or somethin'." "Well, we are in pain," Queen said.

Sice took another look at them, as if analyzing their condition. "Ah, I got it…So that's why Mother gave us that talk." A smug grin took over her face. "It's totally that time of the month, huh? Sucks for you!" Seven and Queen let out a mutual frustrated groan while Sice let out a wicked laugh. "Listen," Seven said. "You're being very immature, and Sice, you're almost twelve now. It could happen to you at any time." Sice stood up and stretched. "Yeah, and I'll be fine. Because I'm strong, and, I hate to be the one to break it to ya, but you're weak."

About a year and a half later, Seven stood over Sice, who was in bed groaning in pain. "Who's weak now?" Seven repressed the urge to smirk. "No, I have it worse than you," Sice groaned. "Ugh, can't you use Cure or something? I'm bleedin' here." Seven sat on the edge on Sice's bed. "Cure won't do anything, because nothing's wrong. This is completely natural. Just think, you get to experience it _every month_." Sice whimpered pathetically, and Seven began to rub her belly. Truthfully, Sice probably did have it worse, based on her rather pitiful response. Why not cut her some slack?


	32. Addiction

Sice cursed herself as she stumbled through the darkness, only half awake. She'd allowed it to happen again. No matter how many times she swore to herself that she'd keep her distance, that she wouldn't be tempted, that she wouldn't even think about it, she still ended up in Seven's bed more nights than not. She searched with her hands for something, anything to wear so that she could return to her own room. Feeling different fabrics, vivid flashbacks of the night before came rushing to her consciousness. The adrenaline, the hunger, the pleasure, the pain, and the shame. It was all there.

 _Real smart,_ Sice thought sarcastically, putting on a shirt – or at least what felt like one. She'd allowed herself to be seduced, over and over. At this point is was like an addiction. What really got to her though was that she wasn't sure just what was so addicting about her classmate. It couldn't have just been her body…though her body was something to marvel at, for sure. It was those violet eyes; it was that ghost of lavender scent that could only really be experienced inside her personal – very personal – space; it was her very presence, her smile and occasional smirk, her voice and every word that she spoke – "Sice."

Sice slipped into a pair of shorts and continued toward the door, still trying to shake the fog from her mind. She just needed to get out- "Sice." Seven's voice was closer, much closer. Sice needed to leave, quickly. She reached for the door handle, but just before she could reach it a hand caught her wrist. "I need to leave," Sice said quietly. Seven stepped forward, pressing her back against Sice's. "You can stay," she whispered into Sice's ear. Sice stood frozen. _Damn it._ No matter how hard she tried to escape, just three words had her questioning her motives. Why was she trying so hard to leave anyway? _Duh, because this is totally inappropriate. For two cadets to be…_

"Sice. Do you remember? Last night?" Sice tried so hard to force the memories to the back of her mind, but they were there. They were there and they were clear and she could practically feel Seven's mouth all over her. She could hear herself whimpering and groaning and panting and speaking. Speaking. Those accursed words echoed in her head as Seven continued speaking to her. "You remember what you said, right? You said that you loved me. You finally, finally said it." Sice bared her teeth as Seven's voice, drenched with relief and gratitude, reached her ears.

"Oh, hell." "What's wrong?" Seven asked, alarmed. Sice turned around, freeing her wrist from Seven's grasp, and violently captured Seven's lips with her own. As she bit Seven's lower lip, she cursed herself again. She was always being seduced by this one person who could peel away every layer and see her in her most vulnerable state. Yet, she always initiated things. Even if Seven ended up in control, things always started with Sice's return to this incurable addiction.

"Sice-" Seven was pushed to the floor, unable to see Sice but able to hear her ravenous breathing. It sounded as if she had some pent up malice demanding release. This wouldn't be the first time. So, Seven allowed Sice to ravage her, there on the floor of her room with too much urgency to reach the bed. She didn't mind, though. It was for Sice's sake. Whatever Sice needed, she was all for it. Because… "Sice, I love you."


	33. Broth & Bed

**Note: All further updates and stories will be posted to AO3. Nothing against you guys (I love you, seriously.) but AO3 is just a lot...well, better. Also, to everyone who left a review (even if I didn't reply to them all, though there weren't a lot to begin with - whoops...) thank you so much. It means a lot. Now for some smol babies.  
**

* * *

"If you don't get your filthy hands off me, I swear I will – " "You're sick," Seven said, removing her hand from Sice's forehead. "Huh?" Sice asked, pushing Seven's other hand off her shoulder. "The heck are you talking about? I'm fine." Seven took another look at the younger girl: dilated pupils, slightly slower movements, super pale all over, and a low body temperature. "No, definitely sick," Seven reiterated. "I told you not to stay outside too long, especially when it starts getting cold." Sice rolled her eyes as Seven began to blame herself out loud and brainstorm what she could do to help.

"I'll get you a blanket," Seven said, looking back and forth between different areas of their home. "Uh, and some soup. You should go lie down. Or sit on your bed if you prefer. And I'll try to find some-" "For crying out loud," Sice groaned. "I said I'm fine. Sheesh, you're not Mother." She sneezed, and Seven immediately handed her a tissue. Where it came from, Sice wasn't sure. But, it was being offered to her and she wasn't about to pass up the opportunity to wipe away the viscous substance oozing from her nostrils.

"I know I'm not," Seven said as Sice wiped her nose, careful not to get any snot on her hands. "But I still see it as my job to take care of you. All of you. Especially when Mother is away. So just let me help you, okay?" Sice threw away the tissue and yawned. "Fine, fine, if it'll save your fragile ego." It really wasn't about her ego at all, but Seven didn't feel like arguing. "Okay, get to bed then. I'll be right there with a blanket."

To Seven's relief, there was no further protest and Sice retreated to her bed. Seven followed, but stopped at a closet to retrieve a blanket before continuing on to cover Sice with the new layer of warmth. "How's that?" Sice curled up a little by instinct. "A little better," she admitted. "…Now where's that soup?" Seven smiled at the slightly pouting, pale face giving her a (was that supposed to be threatening?) glare. "I'm on it." She turned and began making her way toward the kitchen, and Sice sighed. "So lame."

"Really?" Nine's voice startled Sice. The boy peeked over the foot of Sice's bed, then walked around to the side and sat on the edge. "I woulda thought you'd like being pampered by Seven, yo." "Not while I'm sick." Sice rolled her eyes. "You really are dumb." In response to the insult, Nine gave Sice's stomach a forceful poke through the covers. The resulting squeak from Sice's mouth caused Nine to laugh out loud, and Seven to come rushing back into the room. "Nine! What did you do? Sice, please stay in bed." Seven rushed over to hold Sice's shoulders, keeping her from getting out of bed and initiating a fist fight.

"Oh, it's sunset," Nine said, slowly backing away. "Guess I'll get ready for bed then!" He dashed off, too quickly for Seven to catch – at least while she was looking after Sice. It wasn't a problem though; Queen would undoubtedly scold him for running about. "Bed," Sice scoffed. "Like that idiot would go to bed this early…Hey, how's that soup coming along?" It was a good question. One that Seven should definitely check the answer to. She slipped into the kitchen to find King tending the stove. "Came back right on time," he said, cutting off the heat. Seven gave a grateful nod and began to pour a bowl. "Thanks. It looks like Sice got sick from being outside too long." King made a small sound in understanding. "I trust you've got it then. You're always looking out for her." Seven thought about that statement for a moment. Of course she was always looking out for Sice. She was looking out for everybody. Maybe she was just reading too much into what King was saying. Yeah, that was it. King was the type to say what he meant with no hidden meaning behind his words.

"Yeah," Seven said, placing a spoon in the bowl and carefully picking it up. She carried it to Sice's bed, and Sice sat up, looking rather eager to receive the warm sustenance. "Here," Seven said, handing the bowl to Sice. "It's pretty warm, so be careful. But do try to keep your hands on the bowl. I think that should help with your fingers." Sice took the bowl and looked at her fingers. They were just a tad blue, and now that she thought about it, they were nearly numb. The warmth from the bowl felt good, though. "Can you lift the spoon alright?" Seven asked. Sice tried wiggling her fingers. She probably could eat the soup just fine on her own, but since Seven seemed to be offering…

"No, don't think so," Sice said. As she'd predicted, Seven took the spoon and lifted some broth to her mouth. "Here. We've got to warm up that belly of yours one way or another." Sice rolled her eyes and allowed Seven to feed her. The soup wasn't anything close to Mother's, but it felt good going down her throat, warming her up. The whole situation was nice, really: relaxing in bed, covered by blankets, being spoon-fed nice warm soup by the coolest person in the- wait, no, not the coolest but…yeah, Seven was pretty cool.

"What's that smile for?" Seven asked, feeding Sice another spoonful of soup. Sice swallowed. "Uh, nothing. You're just…warm, that's all." Seven set the now empty bowl aside. "You're still cold, aren't you?" Sice didn't respond with words, but scratched her cheek a little and looked away. "You don't have to tell me," Seven said. "I've got your back." She pulled back the blanket she'd given Sice, as well as the ones that had already been on the bed and slipped under them. One arm she threw around Sice and tugged her closer, and the other she used to pull the blankets back over their bodies. "You'll be warm in no time." There was no disputing that; Sice could already feel her cheeks heating up, for whatever reason. It didn't matter. She was wrapped in a nest of blankets with her favorite person aside from Mother, and for the first time in a while, everything just felt right.


End file.
